Lost Group (1/2)

The royals began to panic. How could they have forgotten about a third of their group?

‘What if they got caught?’ Seohyun asked worriedly.

‘Or they got lost?!’

‘It’s been hours! They should’ve been here ages ago! Something must’ve happened!’ Jessica frowned.

‘Ohh!! I’m a bad sister! I forgot about Taeyeon unnie and Tiffany unnie and Yoona!’ Yuri wailed.

‘Relax. Breathe. If we panic we won’t be any help to them,’ Minho soothed, handing all the sisters a glass of water each.

Sungmin shook his head, ‘we were all too scared to even notice.’

‘It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t our fault. We had our own worries to get here safely. And the hours after we arrived were dedicated to calming down. I don’t think we should blame ourselves,’ Key said.‘Do you ever think of anyone other than you?!’ Sooyoung shouted, ‘of course it’s our fault!’

‘I wasn’t saying it was about me!’ Key exclaimed, ‘I just said that we shouldn’t blame ourselves since we had so many other things to worry about and were too scared to think straight. Especially when we heard any kind of noise coming from outside.’

‘He’s right. It’s not our fault. But it’s our responsibility to do something,’ Eunhyuk said.

‘I say we go out and look for them!’ Hyoyeon suggested.

‘No,’ Minho said firmly.

‘Why?! Are we just going to leave them to get hunted down by the rebels out there?!’ Yuri whined.

‘No,’ he said again.

Yuri pouted, ‘I hate you.’

Minho’s face fell, ‘but I love you. So I can’t let you go and look for the others, even if you hate me.’

Eunhyuk looked at Minho who was now sulking and lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He sighed, ‘well, I guess I can’t ask Minho for help now… so can the rest of you think of any ideas? How can we find them?’‘Well we can’t do anything just sitting here! We have to go out and find them!’ Yuri insisted.

‘Yeah! Unnie is right,’ Seohyun said.

‘No,’ Minho mumbled, ‘that’s the only thing we’re not doing.’

‘Why?!’ Sica whined.

‘Because we promised to look after you all. We can’t risk the six of you in the hopes of finding the others. We have to think of a way that won’t put any of you at risk but will help find the others,’ Jonghyun explained.

‘But…’ Sunny mumbled.

Sungmin shook his head, ‘no. You all come first. Your safety before anything else. That is the vow we made to your parents before even getting engaged. My responsibility is you, Sunny, so I won’t put you in danger.’

‘This is an exception,’ Hyoyeon said, ‘our sisters are in danger.’

‘And I’m sure that until we find them, the Princes will keep them safe,’ Kyuhyun said.

‘But what if they can’t? What if there are a hundred rebels against just them?!’ Sunny cried.

‘In that case, what chance would we have? That would be a suicide mission! Even I know that, Sunny noona!’ Taemin exclaimed.Sooyoung bit into her apple hard in frustration.

‘Then what are we supposed to do?! Just sit here?! And hope that they get here? What if they never arrive at all?’ she asked between her chewing.

‘No. We’ll think of something.  I promise,’ Minho said.

Yuri looked at him, ‘really?’

‘Really.’

She smiled and hugged him, ‘in that case, what do you have in mind?’

‘Haven’t thought of anything yet. Only option I can think of is a few of us going off to find them while the others stay and look after you and your sisters. We could follow the path that they were supposed to take and hopefully we’ll find them safe and sound. And if anything happens, the group left in the house should take the escape route and leave the rest of us behind.’

Eunhyuk nodded, ‘that was the only option I could think of too.’

‘If you go, then we all go!’ Sunny insisted.

‘No. It’s not safe,’ Kyuhyun said.‘But I want to go too!’ Jessica cried, ‘if it’s not safe then you all should not be going either! What if you never come back too?’

‘That is why one or two of us will stay behind. If anything happens, they know the escape route and you’ll leave without us,’ Jonghyun said.

‘No!’ Sunny whined.

‘Yes.’

‘I won’t leave if Minho is gone!’ Yuri argued.

‘Well you’re going to have to. I’m sure Taemin is stronger than you and can drag you out if he has to,’ Minho said.

‘Wait, I’m staying?!’ Taemin exclaimed.

‘Yes. You’re not coming with us. It’s too dangerous and you’re not ready for something like this,’ Sungmin said.

‘Why?!’ he whined, ‘I want to be helpful too! Why do I always have to be left behind and miss out on being the hero?!’

‘You are going to be the hero. Because you have to be strong enough to leave without us. To leave us behind and to take the girls with you. To get them to safety no matter how much they object.’Taemin sighed but nodded reluctantly, ‘okay. Then are you going now?’

‘Yes. It’s already dark so we will be hidden and the longer we prolong this, the higher the chances of never finding them. Who else is staying behind?’

No one said anything.

‘Kyuhyun oppa should stay!’ Seohyun said, ‘I don’t know how I would feel if we had to leave without him.’

‘Chances are that we will be back in the morning and between now and then, nothing will happen that will force you all to escape,’ Key pointed out.

‘But I’d feel safer with him here,’ Seohyun said.